SNAP for Students

As a student, you may be eligible to receive help paying for groceries through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP is the largest federal program that helps eligible people with financial need buy more food. You can use SNAP benefits to buy food at grocery stores, some online retailers, and some farmers’ markets. SNAP Benefits are meant to supplement your grocery budget, along with money from other sources.

If you are eligible for benefits, you will receive an EBT card (Electronic Benefit Transfer) that looks like a credit or debit card. This card will have your SNAP benefits loaded onto it each month. You will need to choose a code or PIN (personal identification number) to enter when you are in the checkout line at the grocery store.

SNAP Eligibility Requirements

Check to See if Your Are Eligible

You may be eligible for SNAP benefits if you meet the following criteria:

  • Enrolled half-time or more
  • Do not receive a majority of meals (more than 50%) through a mandatory or optional meal plan
  • Are a US citizen or a Lawful Permanent Resident
  • Meet the SNAP Income limit for household size: Learn more about SNAP Income Guidelines
  • Meet at least one of the following student eligibility criteria:
    • Approved for federal or state work-study AND have a work-study job
    • Work at least 20 hours per week at any job(s)
    • Have a documented physical or mental disability that prevents you from working
    • Responsible for the care of a dependent under the age of 6 living with you
    • Responsible for the care of a dependent age 6 through 11 living with you AND childcare is not available
    • Single parent with responsibility for a child under age 12
    • Under age 18 or age 50 or over

To see if you are eligible for SNAP benefits, take the SNAP Eligibility Screening Survey. The screening survey is available to current registered students and requires logging in with your SCSU email (starid@go.minnstate.edu) and StarID password.

Applying for SNAP Benefits

We can help you determine if you may be eligible for SNAP benefits.

If you are a resident of Minnesota, you can take the SNAP Eligibility Screening Survey. The screening survey requires you to log in with your Office 365 account (starid@go.minnstate.edu and StarID password). If you meet the screening criteria, you can authorize St. Cloud State University to share your contact information with Second Harvest Heartland Care Center, which can help determine final eligibility, complete the application, and submit required documentation. Participation is voluntary, free, and confidential.

You are also encouraged to use Single Stop to check your eligibility for other state and federal programs and local assistance providers based on your ZIP code. Single Stop can help students, including those who do not live in Minnesota, determine their potential eligibility for SNAP and other benefits. The Single Stop benefits screener identifies resources that may be available in your community, such as food assistance, childcare assistance, Medicaid, housing support, free tax preparation services, and more. 

Required Financial Aid Documents

You will need to provide financial aid information to your county within 30 days of submitting your application, including your financial aid award and cost of attendance. Note that financial aid does not count as income. The simplest way to provide documentation of your financial aid is to have Financial Aid complete this Financial Aid Information form and submit it to your county. There are two ways to work with Financial Aid to get this form completed:

In person: Bring the Financial Aid Information form (printed or on your laptop) and your Student ID or other picture ID to Financial Aid (Administrative Services 106) and work with a staff member to fill the form out.

By email: Fill out the student portions of the form and electronically sign the ‘Authorization for Release of Information' section on the first page. Then, email the signed for to Financial Aid from your SCSU email address and include your SCSU Tech ID or MN State StarID. Staff will complete the form and send it back to you to provide to the county.

Additional SNAP Resources

Frequently Asked Questions

If you buy your groceries and cook your own food, you are considered a household of one. If you share expenses and cook together with others, then these people are included in your total household size.

SNAP Benefits aren't taxable income, so they don't affect your taxes.

No. SNAP benefits do not count as financial aid. SNAP benefits will not impact the amount of financial aid you are eligible to receive.

If the PSEO student is under 22 and living with their parents, they must all apply for SNAP as a household.

Your SNAP benefits will last if you continue to meet the eligibility criteria outlined above and maintain your SNAP certification status by reporting required changes and completing the recertification process. Your county will tell you what changes need to be reported and how to report them, and how to complete the recertification process.

No, international students with a student visa are not eligible. If they have another visa or status, they may be eligible.

SNAP applications can take 30 days to process but may take longer depending on the volume of applications. If you are in an emergency, you may qualify for expedited SNAP assistance, which helps families in emergencies qualify. Expedited SNAP benefits can be given in 7 days or less. You do not need to apply for expedited benefits, and your application will be evaluated for expedited status.

Monthly SNAP benefit amounts vary based on income, expenses, and household size. For a one-person household, the monthly SNAP benefit ranges from $24-298. You can use this screening tool to estimate the amount of monthly SNAP benefits you might be eligible to receive.

You can buy groceries with your SNAP EBT card. You can’t buy non-food items, such as paper products, household and personal hygiene supplies, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, vitamins, medication, pet foods, foods eaten in the store, or hot ready-to-eat "deli" food with your card. You can use your SNAP benefits at local grocery stores, with Instacart, and online at Aldi, Amazon, and Walmart, as well as at some farmers’ markets.

For individualized support with the SNAP application, visit Second Harvest Heartland’s Care Center, request a callback, or call/text 866-844-3663.